Board of Directors

Regular meetings of the RMCS Governing Board of Directors are held on a monthly basis in the RMCS Conference Room, 3880 Cypress Drive, Suite B, Petaluma, CA, 94954.

Please check the Board of Directors' Schedule, Agendas & Minutes page for current BOD meeting schedule. Agendas and minutes are al so available on the same page. Agendas for all public meetings are posted on the RMCS campus in the front window and in information display case adjacent to the Community Information Center in school administration.

Community participation is a vital component of River Montessori Charter School. We hope and encourage your attendance and participation in board meetings often. Meeting guidelines are provided to assist you in participating and/or speaking at any of our meetings.

OPENING: RMCS BOARD MEMBERS - COMMUNITY & PARENT

Is it YOUR time to serve? We are nearing the time of year, when certain board members cycle out and new cycle in. Please consider joining the RMCS Board of Directors, which is made up of both parents and community members. We will hold elections at the end of this September for one parent and one community board member. If you are considering running for the parent position, please submit your name along with a brief bio (1 to 3 paragraphs, which will be included on the ballot as information for parents), and information about your skills and qualifications to our Secretary, Eresa at epuch@rivermontessoricharter.orgby Monday, September 13th.

Voting will occur from September 14 - 20th, and results will be announced at the October 10th Annual Board of Directors meeting.

Also, if you are not a parent of a child who attends RMCS and are interested in the open community member position on the board, please send an email to nlorenz@rivermontessoricharter.org. We are particularly in need of people with financial, legal, civic, and educational expertise.RMCS BOARD OF DIRECTORS JOB DESCRIPTION

"THREE-YEAR COMMITMENT"

Attend regular meetings of the RMCS Board of Directors (BOD), which are each approximately two - three hours in duration. The BOD is scheduled to meet 7 times per year. Be accessible for personal contact in between board meetings.

Provide leadership by serving on a BOD committee. Each board director is expected to serve as an active, ongoing member of at least one committee

Participate in the fund-raising activities of the school.

Prepare prior to board meetings by reviewing materials provided in advance, regarding key actions the BOD is expected to take at the next meeting.

Participate in the annual BOD development and planning retreat, usually held in January of each year.

In general, utilize any pertinent personal and professional skills, relationships, and knowledge for the support and advancement of RMCS.

MEET THE RMCS BOARD MEMBERS

Board President & Community Member

Norman Lorenz

Norman Lorenz brings to his work on the board of River Montessori Charter School nearly 30 years of experience with primary and elementary Montessori education, and provides significant guidance to River’s executive director and other staff. Norman is now a professor of early childhood and elementary teacher education at Sacramento City College, where he also serves as staff resource coordinator. Prior to joining Sacramento City College, Norman was an educational consultant to the California Department of Education focused on child development programs and directed the Montessori Teachers College in Sacramento. He was also a Montessori instructor, staff developer, and co-founder of and consultant to the California Montessori Project, a public school network with six public charter Montessori schools across the Sacramento area, as well as director of both the public Montessori Learning Commons and the private nonprofit Montessori Center for Elementary Education.

Norman is currently a doctoral candidate in education leadership at the University of California-Davis and Sonoma State University; he holds a B.A. and an M.A. in education from California State University-Sacramento, as well as several Montessori education certificates. Contact Norman.

Board Vice President & Community Member

Board Treasurer & Community Member

Tim Lohrentz

Tim Lohrentz has experience in community development, finance, nonprofit governance, and education policy. This is Tim’s second term on the River Montessori Charter School board, having served as a founding parent member until October 2012. Tim worked as researcher and Program Manager for nine years at the Insight Center for Community Economic Development in Oakland before recently transitioning to a freelance consultant. Tim has written dozens of research reports, including on the topic of the economic impact of early care and education for First Five Los Angeles and the Children’s Cabinet (Reno), as well as on inclusion in government agency procurement. He has also worked as a strategic planner in collaboration with an after-school program in Marin City and in collaboration with a youth organization in Daly City, related to effects of payday lending on families. Prior to moving to Petaluma in 2004, Tim was a research consultant to Strategic Learning Initiatives in Chicago.

Tim has a master's degree in urban planning and policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He has travelled over 30 times to Central America and is currently writing a book about the origins of the Maya. He also serves on the board of Red Barn Montessori. Tim's son graduated from River Montessori Charter School in June 2013.Contact Tim.

Board Secretary & Parent Member

Eresa Puch

Eresa Puch​My name is Eresa Puch, a grateful mother of two boys, Angelo who graduated from River Montessori in 2014 and Zac who is currently a student. River Montessori has been our children's second home and our family's treasured community. My husband Celso and I find fulfillment in engaging with the passionate causes of the school, the Foundation, and the board.

My professional background has been nurtured by over ten years of work in Finance, Internal Audit, and Compliance from various industries such as healthcare and education management. I earned an Executive Master's degree in Business Administration from Sonoma State University. I was born in the Philippines and moved to California at the age of 19. Petaluma has been our home for over a decade.

I fully support and embrace the values and goals that fuel and energize the entire River Montessori community including its Foundation and Governing Board. It is my great honor and commitment to be of service to other parents and guardians in supporting and sustaining our River Montessori Charter School community. Contact Eresa.

Community Member

Betsy Ehlen Hall

Betsy Ehlen HallCommunity Board Member, Betsy Ehlen Hall, is a parent of former RMCS student who, “didn’t want to leave the school,” and is thriving in mainstream junior high with the foundation River Montessori provided for her!

Growing up in St. Louis, Betsy attended a school where learning was not always implemented while sitting in a chair and listening to a teacher. When looking for a school for their daughter, Betsy and Mark were drawn to River Montessori for its peaceful environment and students who were self-motivated, accountable, and excited to learn. For Betsy, this felt like “home,” and turned out to be the perfect place for their daughter to flourish.

Betsy and her husband Mark have lived in Petaluma for 14 years and are parents to four (former RMCS student/daughter, two step-daughters and a step-son). Professionally, Betsy is a freelance Art Director with a virtual advertising agency based in Petaluma. She is a graduate of the Academy of Art University. Betsy believes that serving on the Board is a great way to stay connected to the school, and to show gratitude for the school that holds a special place in the family’s heart. Contact Betsy.

Parent Member

Parent Member

Eva CovarrubiasMy name is Eva Covarrubias, I am stay home mother of two lovely children who are enrolled at River in the Ellis Creek Classroom and Tuolumne. I have small home business as a party rental provider. After high school I moved with my family from Jalisco, Mexico. I immigrated to United States 25 years ago and completed two years of college at Santa Rosa Junior College with a major in Art. Later in in life I got my Cosmetology license and I have plans to open a salon/studio in the future. Before I became a mom I was involved in the restaurant business for 15 years, which has given me the ability to deal with many different types of individuals.

Since coming to this country I have been very involved with my Latino community and have been volunteering for multiple non-profit organizations which help the Latino community. For the last three years I have also been volunteering for CAP (Community Action Partnership) a non-profit organization in Santa Rosa that supports individuals with their micro businesses, and also helps low income individuals to open their own businesses. I am familiar with board work though my several years’ experience as a PTA volunteer for the Head Start Program, a preschool that serves low income families; I was also a regular classroom volunteer for three years in a row. I describe myself as a very organized and multitasking person who is always eager to learn.

My wish is to be a bridge between our Latino and non-Latino communities at RMCS; to support any possible language and culture barriers that can arise and help build a strong united community. I truly believe in our children's education and a stronger bond that can bring us all together. I am excited to have the opportunity to be a part of the River Montessori community as a parent board member and to be a strong representative for our RMCS community.Contact Eva.

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River Montessori Charter School is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any persons (actual or perceived disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic that is contained in the definition of hate crimes set forth in Section 422.55 of the Penal Code or association with an individual who has any of the aforementioned characteristics).